I’m a Steeler fan, I’ve never played fantasy football in my life, and you’ll see me talking about average numbers left and right, particularly when it comes to making individual personnel decisions such as contracts and salary.

Numbers convey value when taken in context and interpreted properly. I’ve seen Flacco play a ton and I know his numbers, and there are things that coincide between the two. When it comes down to making long-term individual decisions based on long-term individual performance and merit (i.e., contract decisions), individual long-term numbers (i.e., average numbers) should matter. There are other factors to take into consideration (“Oh, well Flacco is great in the 4th quarter”), but most of these will spill over into the guy’s numbers over the long run, anyhow (how often do you hear about QBs who are annual bottom feeders in the league, number-wise, but who are otherwise known for consistently being clutch in the 4th quarter — even situational play likely aggregates over time to impact guys’ numbers).

Otherwise, what do you go on — team performance? How does that help in deciding contract numbers for someone like Flacco … the guy’s been part of a stable, talented system on both sides of the ball since he came into the league. If anything, that should work against him.

]]>By: getyourownnamehttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2365239
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 22:39:09 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2365239I had not realized how much fantasy football had overtaken the average fan’s thinking until I read the comments about Flacco’s “average numbers” .

The object of the real game is to win, not generate numbers. You would think Steeler fans would undertsand that.

]]>By: rg3sushttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2365149
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 20:42:20 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2365149Flacco is a really good qb. But he hAs had a ton of talent around him. I just don’t understand these mega deals that hurt a teams cap so bad. Breese got one. Ben got one. And now Flacco. Let’s see how these teams do next few years. Little bit of a social experiment to determine how much any one player could possibly be worth. Will help set the bar for my team in 4 years when rg3 needs a new contract (assuming he comes back as the player he once was)
]]>By: scoobies05http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2365107
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:53:24 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2365107just like you cant compare 2008 salaries to 2012 salaries you also cant compare nfl 2000 to 2012. totally different league. trent dilfer and brad johnson were the last 2 qbs to win sbs with defense. but thats not entirely true either. pitt with ben and even the pats with brady. but lately its been offense carrying the way. and that includes the ravens this year. but where would ben be if holmes doesnt make that catch. or brady if vinatieri doesnt make kicks. or eli without tyree and manningham. or flacco without jones and boldin. its a team game of course. but the qb is at the center. joe has stepped up. if some want to say lucky thats up to you. joe is the right guy at the right time and has proven himself. and with a cap friendly deal there is no reason to think the ravens are going anywhere anytime soon
]]>By: thestrategyexperthttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2365065
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:10:47 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2365065ravenmuscle:

Careful what you wish for. Maybe PIT will end up being the worst team in the league for a year or two and then draft Johnny Football to dismantle the Ravens for the next 15 years.

He couldn’t have done anything without his supporting cast. He couldn’t have done it in Cleveland.
Flacco should thank every team mate a thousand times for his contract.
Based on his numbers alone, he should’ve been given Eli Manning dollars.

]]>By: shaunypoohttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2365061
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:08:54 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2365061I used to not care for Flacco because he is a mediocre quarterback and respect the Ravens FO for making solid decisions, but now I respect Flacco for fleecing the Ravens and hamstringing his own team and lost respect for the FO for being dumb enough to give a barely top ten QB a HUGE contract.
]]>By: ravenmusclehttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2365056
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 19:02:38 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2365056I’m laughing at the Steeler fans sitting at home knowing that their defense is being dismantled due to age and chronic injuries…no Mike Wallace…No running backs whatsoever….AND the best news of all…Ben Roethlisberger’s chronic shoulder injury has left him with NO arm strength AND that is why he has thrown all those killer interceptions at the end of all those brutal Steeler losses.

“Now, Baltimore Ravens:
It’s 2008. gonna sell you a quarterback for $120 million, more money than any qb in NFL history! You’re going to go to the playoffs every single year for his first 5 years in the league…and win at least one game each time. You’re going to win the division twice; you’re going to sweep your 8 home games and the AFC North for the first time ever during one of those seasons; you’re going to finally beat the colts in the playoffs; you’re going to finally beat peyton manning in the playoffs; you’re going to finally beat tom brady in the playoffs; you’re going to go to 3 AFC Championships in those 5 years (and he’ll play well enough to win two of them); he’ll lead game-winning drives IN PITTSBURGH at Heinz Field two seasons in a row; he’ll lead you to your best start in franchise history of 9-2 while the defense falls apart b/c of injuries; he’ll be a super bowl MVP while throwing 11 TDs & 0 INTs in that playoff run; he’ll be arguably the best deep-ball thrower in the league. . . . . . .but occasionally he’ll be inconsistent with his completion percentage. Do you want him or not?”

——————————————–
1st. If you are going to pay $120mil a year in 2008 you are an idiot.

2nd. Forgot to add, “oh by the way, your team will be hampered for the next decade with salary cap issues.

Super Bowl’s are not won by the QB, look at your very own Trent Dilfer. Its a team sport. The Ravens past accomplishments depended so much on defense. With the huge cap number on its way, you better draft well.

]]>By: justintuckrulehttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364994
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 18:03:11 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364994@bigben re: flacco not winning starting job at upitt. Drew Henson started over Brady at Michigan so what’s your point?
]]>By: joeflaccoownsyoulosershttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364963
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 17:36:34 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364963Ozzie will also continue to do what he’s been doing since 2008 and that’s draft well and put together another championship team. As long as our front office continues to do what they do best, the Ravens will ALWAYS be a contender. Don’t you haters ever forget it!.
]]>By: joeflaccoownsyoulosershttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364951
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 17:32:01 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364951reed20fence says:
Mar 2, 2013 9:03 AM
Quoting this from elsewhere.

“Now, Baltimore Ravens:
It’s 2008. gonna sell you a quarterback for $120 million, more money than any qb in NFL history! You’re going to go to the playoffs every single year for his first 5 years in the league…and win at least one game each time. You’re going to win the division twice; you’re going to sweep your 8 home games and the AFC North for the first time ever during one of those seasons; you’re going to finally beat the colts in the playoffs; you’re going to finally beat peyton manning in the playoffs; you’re going to finally beat tom brady in the playoffs; you’re going to go to 3 AFC Championships in those 5 years (and he’ll play well enough to win two of them); he’ll lead game-winning drives IN PITTSBURGH at Heinz Field two seasons in a row; he’ll lead you to your best start in franchise history of 9-2 while the defense falls apart b/c of injuries; he’ll be a super bowl MVP while throwing 11 TDs & 0 INTs in that playoff run; he’ll be arguably the best deep-ball thrower in the league. . . . . . .but occasionally he’ll be inconsistent with his completion percentage. Do you want him or not?”

Flacco doesn’t win?
It’s the team around him?
The team that went 5-11 in 2007?
Went 11-5 with an AFCCG in 2008 with Flacco?
Right.

Wrong. It was because of Harbaugh becoming head coach. Billick sucked in 2007. A great coach determines the success of qbs.

]]>By: jamaltimorehttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364916
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 17:07:40 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364916I think it’s safe to start the Dynasty talk! 5 more years like the last 5 Joe and you’re surefire Hall of Fame Material! Everyone talks about good front office guys but Ozzie and his STAFF, remember in Bmore it’s all about the team, are the best front office in football. Hate all you want but get ready for Black and Purple to be running wild for a long time to come

Question: Let’s say that the Niners do score that TD from 5 yds out, and the Ravens can’t score in the remaining two minutes. Does Flacco get the same contract?

I don’t really know the answer, but thought it might be something to think about . . . .

********************************************************************

Or, let’s say the Broncos don’t allow the most fluff 4th quarter TD in recent playoff history as they did this year, and the Ravens don’t make the SB at all. Same scenario.

End of the day, good for Flacco — he lucked out in a contract year. I simply fail to see how it’s a win for the Ravens organization to pour huge cash into a guy who has yet to show, to me, that his contributions as an individual merit it. Terrell Suggs better have been dead-on with his comments about Flacco being a “proven leader,” or this deal is a huge bust in the making.

]]>By: godzilla111111http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364899
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:53:09 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364899Flacco doesn’t win?
It’s the team around him?
The team that went 5-11 in 2007?
Went 11-5 with an AFCCG in 2008 with Flacco?
Right.
]]>By: bigbadal21http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364896
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:50:29 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364896Congratulations to Flacco for all that he has done. Congratulations to the Ravens for winning the Superbowl. Congratulations to the Raven fans who have endured so many missed opportunities to get to the Superbowl. But if the Raven organization and their fans do not realize how much Flaccos contract will affect the ability to field a good team in the coming years then they need a reality check. It should not bother them too much this coming year but each year after it will be harder and harder to keep players that will help them to succeed. These are just the facts of the NFL. Also the high praise for the Ravens front office should be tempered in the fact taht they gambled on not signing Flacco sooner and now have paid the price.
]]>By: CKLhttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364894
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:48:59 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364894harrisbarton says:
Mar 2, 2013 11:20 AM
Question: Let’s say that the Niners do score that TD from 5 yds out, and the Ravens can’t score in the remaining two minutes. Does Flacco get the same contract?

I don’t really know the answer, but thought it might be something to think about . .
_________________________________
I think he does. I believed Ozzie when he said before the SB that one game wouldn’t change his mind one way or the other. Ozzie is an honorable man.

]]>By: mysterytonitehttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364881
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:36:59 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364881As a fellow Delaware alumn I say congrats for getting paid and winning the bowl Joe. As a hardcore Bengals fan, I say thanks again Joe, you just put our biggest rival into salary cap purgatory for the forseeable future!!!!
]]>By: jody46http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364866
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:27:18 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364866I think wow! They are putting everything in him when I and most people don’t think he is a elite qb. spent way too much money on him in my opinion. I am a bengals fan so I hope I am right.
]]>By: harrisbartonhttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364860
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 16:20:29 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364860Question: Let’s say that the Niners do score that TD from 5 yds out, and the Ravens can’t score in the remaining two minutes. Does Flacco get the same contract?

I don’t really know the answer, but thought it might be something to think about . . . .

Ravens FO did fail — they overpaid big time. Nobody’s saying Flacco is not a decent QB. If you honestly think he’s worth the money of a Drew Brees, you’re either too homerfied to lift the blinds or you’re missing something.

Flacco stepped into a Ravens team that has had a top running game multiple years, decent receivers around him every year (Mason, Heap, Williams, Boldin, Smith — although underperforming at times), and one of the best defenses in the league to back him up. If you look across all his numbers and don’t cherry-pick specific statistics, he’s a top 10-15 QB — if you really think that’s $20 million/year good, that’s on you.

Bottom line — Flacco made a killing on this deal. Better hope he is worth at least 3/4 of that investment.

]]>By: cbs1971http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364844
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:58:04 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364844“Joe Flacco will go down as the best of all time! Brady and Manning will be nothing but an afterthought in 6 years.”

________

Dude, stop! You sound like a idiot……

]]>By: javierjiminyhttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364835
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:53:25 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364835Ravens got robbed. Let’s be honest. Would you feel comfortable offering this amount of money 2 years ago? I don’t care if he won a superbowl or not. Flacco has placed average numbers in the regular season. This year, he got lucky in the playoffs. More or less, Flacco is somewhere between a Phillip Rivers and a Eli Manning. Flacco doesn’t deserve this type of money. Only a matter of time before we hear some form of regret by the Ravens, leading to reconstructing, and ultimately trading or cutting Flacco for sub-par performances.
]]>By: scoobies05http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364834
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:50:00 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364834and despite being so joe bad your mighty pittsburgh steelers have finished behind the ravens the last two years and have gone from 2nd to 3rd in the division. and lets talk about 9 post season wins 3 afc championship games and a super win capped by an mvp. your jealousy makes you look small. go ravens
]]>By: jacktheravenhttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364826
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:42:55 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364826I can’t believe the doubters/haters here. Doubters have been saying Joe will never do this or never win a SB. How many times are you going to continue to be wrong? Be honest. How many playoff games did you think Joe WOULD win?
]]>By: bigbenownsthenflhttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364825
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:41:25 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364825this is the same joe flacco that couldn’t win a starting job at the university of Pittsburgh, and had to transfer to Delaware. right? the same flacco that failed to beat the steelers everytime in the playoffs right? the same flacco that just throws passes up as high and deep as possible and prays his receiver can come down with it? right? same flacco that couldn’t beat Charlie batch at mt bank stadium this year right? same flacco that’s offense is consistently ranked around 20th every year right? ok was just making sure that the ratbirds front office is the worst and that the ratbird organization is completely insane. and you fans saying this is great. are completely insane. nobody was more hateful of joe flacco than ratbird fans themselves..hypocrites!!!
]]>By: ravenaintorhttp://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/02/getting-sixth-year-on-flacco-deal-was-a-win-for-ravens/#comment-2364823
Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:41:10 +0000http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/?p=1783283#comment-2364823Joe Flacco will go down as the best of all time! Brady and Manning will be nothing but an afterthought in 6 years.
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